Amara Edghill

Trinidad Express Newspapers

In the dynamic world of sport, young athletes are continuously breaking barriers and proving that age is no limitation when it comes to talent and determination. One such promising young athlete shining in the spotlight is Amara Edghill, a 17-year-old netballer from El Socorro.

Transcript

00:00 Hi, my name is Amara Edgehill. I'm 17 years old. I'm from El Secorro.

00:05 I attended St. George's College from Form 6 and Tuna Puna Secondary from Forms 1 to 5.

00:12 I'm an ebola and I play santa.

00:29 For the past month or so, we transitioned into a period whereby we were doing double sessions.

00:36 We were training almost every day of the week except for Fridays.

00:40 We were interchanging between double sessions and single sessions.

00:45 We would normally have training in the morning around 8am to about 10pm or 11pm.

00:52 Then later in the evening from 4pm to 5pm or 6pm.

00:56 Well, no one in my family actually played sports.

00:59 I think my uncle did some powerlifting for a short period of time.

01:04 But I grew up with my mom and sister. I have a younger sister.

01:08 My mom really focused on getting us involved in a lot of activities as much as possible.

01:16 Even outside of sports and music as well.

01:20 She really pushed us to be outgoing and just confident.

01:25 I remember after SDA, one of the new teachers in the school did netball and she wanted to introduce us to it.

01:33 She showed us a few games and she taught us the rules.

01:37 However, we never got to play.

01:39 Once I entered secondary school and I saw it as an extracurricular, I just had to finish it.

01:44 Because I felt like something that was uncompleted.

01:47 I needed to see it through and see what the game was like and play it.

01:51 I just fell in love instantly and I just enjoyed being active.

01:57 Ever since I was young, I was always running about.

02:00 I just enjoyed that excitement and running.

02:03 I just continued with it and saw it all the way through.

02:06 I'm the captain of this under 18 Commonwealth Youth Team.

02:10 When I started off, it was a bit shaky.

02:13 I was a bit too meek and not as confident in my decisions.

02:19 Slowly, I began to become more confident, be more assertive and ensure that everyone is well cared for.

02:27 I feel as though this team hasn't been like any other.

02:32 From the get-go, we got along really well.

02:35 It was just a lot of vibes and fun.

02:38 I think that helped us to push each other through the training when it got even tougher.

02:43 We never had any big quarrels or anything like that.

02:47 That helped us to bond better because we trained for a short period of time.

02:52 We had eight months of preparation.

02:54 I think this team is all about driving and we are beginning to get that hunger.

03:00 We want this.

03:01 In the beginning, we had prep matches.

03:05 We were actually losing a lot.

03:07 It was giving us down.

03:10 Eventually, as we started to up our play, increase our skills and be more confident in our ability,

03:17 we began to win a few of the games in the South Netball League.

03:23 We had more test matches in Maloney against some men and we won.

03:28 It just felt great.

03:29 I recently went to Tobago and we played two games.

03:33 The first game was against some past senior players and some men as well.

03:40 We came out triumphant.

03:43 I think this year, particularly for me and a lot of players, it has been really difficult.

03:51 I think a lot of the players are new.

03:54 This is our first time making a team.

03:56 This is our debut.

03:58 This journey has been so tough and a lot of the players have seen hardships throughout it.

04:05 Being able to push forward, I personally had a passing within my family.

04:10 That sense of community really helped to carry me through.

04:14 I remember a lot of times before training sessions, bawling my eyes out.

04:18 I think this sport really helps me to push forward.

04:23 I think this is the same thing for a lot of the girls on this very team.

04:28 It's really been difficult, but we ensure to keep each other and hold each other by our arms.

04:33 It's the Under-18 National Netball Team.

04:36 We are not a senior team, although a lot of us aspire to become one of the calypso girls on the senior team.

04:44 I think I've always looked up to my coaches.

04:48 They've always been a big inspiration.

04:51 I think my secondary school coach, who started me off, Ms. Antoinette Gaskin,

04:56 she has been a big help to me and just teaching me the fundamentals.

05:01 I moved forward with Coach Lisa and Coach Sherry

05:04 and they really pushed me to a limit that I didn't know I could reach.

05:09 I think in terms of players, the spirit I see in some of these players is just unlike any other.

05:17 I think Jalissa, she just keeps going and going no matter what hardship hits her.

05:24 She has this love for the sport and this childish energy.

05:29 She keeps that youthful spirit and it just encourages me to be more playful,

05:34 to enjoy the game and to just love it more.

05:37 Right now we're under the training of Ms. Simone, who's in charge of the shooting,

05:42 and Ms. Sijona, Ms. Suzie, she's in charge of defensive and the head coach, Ms. Kyla Keith-Wilson.

05:49 I first met Ms. Suzie and Ms. Simone from under 16 and they've been with me in this journey

05:55 and seen me grow for a very long time in this sport and they are really good coaches.

06:00 Ms. Kyla Keith-Wilson, she's from Tobago and she has brought this new level to the game,

06:06 this new level of coaching. It's absolutely incredible.

06:09 She takes a scientific approach and I really think it's helped us move forward.

06:14 As well as we have Mr. Anthony Mokano, our science man, as we say, our coach man.

06:20 He's the man behind the scenes doing all the statistics.

06:24 It's unreal, the opportunities and the new things that they have shown us.

06:29 Free time, that's not really a thing.

06:35 Maybe when I get a little older I might watch a little TV show or something.

06:43 But I've always only gone finish team this year, so it's school, Naval, home, sleep.

06:49 I get to eat in between, I'm using.

06:53 But I think you break a zone in Naval because you just enjoy it so much

06:59 and you just want to put your all out.

07:01 I just hope that my future is so bright and happy.

07:05 I'm not really sure which path I'm ready to head yet, I'm so young.

07:09 But I really hope to continue with this sport and I hope that potentially I could be one of the Calypso girls

07:15 and just bring something good to the sport and improve it.

07:21 Thanks for being my Express YSS interview.

07:24 Come out and support these Commonwealth Games.

07:27 Shoddy Love. Bye!

07:29 (upbeat music)

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